TO GINA IN NC: My Mom and I contacted two attorneys to investigate our issue to see if the makers of Afrin could be held responsible. Neither attorney wanted the case. We also spoke to one of the doctor's at the Smell and Taste Center listed on this page. The doctor was very nice, but he told us there is not a great interest in smell and taste research and therefore it would be difficult to have the test we needed funded ($900 and insurance won't cover it)and to find anyone to investigate the case.
Some good news though . . . after almost a year, my taste and smell is gradually coming back. I can mostly taste things individually -- for example I can now taste turkey by itself, but I cannot taste it if it is combined on a sandwich with bread, cheese and condiments. Same with peanut butter -- I can taste it alone, but not in combination with bread or jelly. I also occasionally have whiffs of smell such as the potpourri in my apartment or fresh air coming through the window.
One of my mother's doctor's advised her to try zinc as a supplement to get her smell and taste back. I am going to try that myself.
It is a very frustrating thing to lose your smell and taste, but I am feeling a bit more hopeful about regaining the senses than I have in a long time.
I talked to my co-worker's Mom who lost her taste and smell for over two years, and she was more like you -- she experienced a terrible taste when she ate certain foods and she lost weight. She said the only thing that tasted good to her was citrus. She was unable to eat any kind of meat because of the awful taste. Good news is she has regained some of her senses and does not get the bad taste anymore.
Where did you buy your Afrin? I am still convinced that Afrin is the cause of my Mom's and my problem, however, I bought mine in Texas and she bought hers in Alabama. The lot numbers are different too.
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